


Break a Leg (or Two)

by carnagekid



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:35:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28782066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carnagekid/pseuds/carnagekid
Summary: Short and sweet one-shot in which Fl4k is blown in half and Zer0 comes to their aid. Romantic stuff isn't overt but if you squint you can see it.
Relationships: Fl4K/Zer0 (Borderlands)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 27





	Break a Leg (or Two)

Complete silence. Here Fl4k stands with their Echo Device opened, scouring the map laid out on the screen in search of just what they have been missing. They have made no true progress on achieving the end goal here, though Fl4k certainly doesn’t want to complain. If anything, they take great joy in popping the heads off of corporate douchebags or crushing whatever may be threatening to crush them first. To say they aren’t enjoying themselves in the process of this search would be an obvious lie.

Fl4k squints their single eye when they spot an area on the map they don’t quite recognize. It’s very likely they have long since passed it by during their dance of destruction throughout the comparatively small portion of this war-torn planet. It must be the location of their assassination target. As the Echo Device is tucked away, their attention is turned to their Spiderant who has grown bored enough to begin rummaging through trash.

“Come here my girl.” Fl4k instructs with a wave of their hand, already heading straight towards the nearest Catch-A-Ride. Broodless obediently rolls up behind them (after a moment or two of reluctance) before soon breaking into a crawl once again.

Once the Catch-A-Ride is reached and an appropriate vehicle is constructed, Fl4k climbs into the Cyclone and must... very awkwardly place Broodless securely as possible in what little space they have between their legs. Every time they climb into one of these, the thought always crosses their mind to ask Ellie about installing a side car for a comfortable spot that their beast can sit in. Perhaps they’ll ask as soon as this hunt has been completed.

Yet as they drive through a long strip of the Meridian Metroplex, they soon begin to notice something off: the roads are entirely devoid of any Maliwan troops. They have taken out plenty of them before, but it’s no reason for them to be gone in places that Fl4k hasn’t even cleared yet. There’s _always_ more troops. _Always_ more war to be had. Yet now the city is silent to the point of being unnerving.

It isn’t too long later that the reason why is answered. It’s just as Fl4k has finally decided to slow down their vehicle in order to figure out what’s wrong that their eye snaps wide open at the sound of beeping which begins slow but rapidly increases in speed. That’s the moment it all clicks for them: bombs. The Maliwan troops have cleared the streets in order to plant bombs and quickly take out this Vault Hunter which threatens the livelihood of their corporate nonsense.

Just when Fl4k slams their armored foot on the gas to get the hell out of dodge, the explosions happen in rapid successions before finally reaching their target. Fl4k can barely process their own pained shouts, only hearing the thundering boom of each bomb while a searing pain travels up each individual thread inside their exposed wires.

Exposed wires...?

Slowly, Fl4k looks down to find that their bottom half has been ripped clean off. There’s some sparks flying here and there due to their damaged circuitry, but the moment they hear gunshots they’ve all but abandoned the mission to search for just where their legs have even gone. Fl4k grabs the first and closest gun they see, propping themselves up on their elbow to fire right back at the Maliwan troops. They manage to drop a good portion of them, but it isn’t long until their vision begins to glitch and fade from the amount of damage their body has taken.

Still, if Death demands that they fight until their dying breath, then _so be it_. Fl4k only continues to miss more and more shots, and in return is only shot more and more. When they run out of bullets and begin to crawl and fumble around for the next gun, they begin to find that the shots come less and less. There’s the sound of screams and shouts behind them, but they can hardly offer themselves the luxury to turn their head, _not until they have a gun in their hands_.

Fl4k finally gets their hand on a pistol, and as soon as they see a shadow looming over them-- they spin around and pull the trigger. The shot goes right past Zer0′s head.

The two are now in silence, staring one another down before Fl4k’s eye begins to scan the area around them instead. There is no one left beyond their corpses which lay in intricate patterns of blood, still and peaceful. Death can be such a beautiful creature.

“They thought they were deft, / but my blade could slice swifter. / Do you need a hand?”

Fl4k drops their gun at their side, propping themselves up best they can on their elbows. “I could use my legs, though I suppose I may not be getting those very soon...” A pause. Wait-- where is their beast? Their eye widens and searches around with concern until they finally spot Broodless limping in their direction.

“...My Spiderant,” They state, “She is of flesh and skeleton. You should tend to her first.”

“Flesh and skeleton / makes her weaker then, does it? / Is that how you think?” Zer0 asks, clearly amused by the machine’s statements. Is it wrong if Fl4k thinks that way, though? There have been several moments showcasing the many differences which sets them apart from beings of flesh rather than metal. Though they’re certainly glad that he is tending to her as they’ve requested.

“Why wouldn’t I think so? The proof should be in the fact I am still coherent and holding conversation with you in spite of my circumstances.”

“The light in your eye / still flickers. Machines struggle / just like everyone.” Zer0 replies, then stands from his spot to crouch near Fl4k instead. “Your Spiderant will be / limping for a while. Will you / let me help you, now?”

There is a moment of stillness which causes a brief lull in their conversation, but soon enough Fl4k is wordlessly gesturing for Zer0 to turn around with a spin of their finger. “I should warn you that I am... quite heavy. Even _without_ half of me attached.”

“That is precisely / why I will be putting you / in a vehicle.” Zer0 responds plainly.

When Fl4k places their arms (carefully, considering there’s a horrible chance of strangling) around the assassin’s neck, they can somewhat feel those slender hands grasping at whatever is left of their bottom half in order to hoist them further up as Zer0 stands. Considering just how slender Zer0 is as a whole, Fl4k can say with certainty that they are surprised at the weight he is managing to pack on at this very moment. If only Fl4k were coherent enough to be perceptive of their surroundings... they’d likely note the slight tremble coming from Zer0 otherwise.

So, there will be a new change of plans it seems. Fl4k must return to a safe place in order to be repaired, then wait for their Spiderant to recover. Once that is completed... they are going to quietly return to the Meridian Metroplex and _slaughter every single last son of a bitch that they meet eyes with_.


End file.
